Stretching-machine.



G. H. KNAPP.

STBETGHING MACHINE. urmauxon rum) anrr.4,1eo7.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETBSHBBT 1.

1n: NORRIS PETERS 50., WASHINGTON. n. ::v v

G. H. KNAPP'.- STRETGHING MACHINE.

.- AITLIOATION FILED SEPTA, 190 7. Dec. 22,

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CHARLES H. KNAPP, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

STRE'IOHING-MACHINE Application filed September 4, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. KNAPP, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Paterson, county of Passaic, and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for holding freshly dyed or otherwisedampened skeins of silk strongly stretched for the purpose of impartingto the filaments a peculiar gloss or luster produced by the intensestrains due to the shrinkage of the silk,

while thus held, during the drying operation.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the skeinsmay be conveniently applied and removed, constructed to resistsuccessfully the strains to which it is subjected and to permit the easyremoval and replacement of parts most likely to be broken, and whichshall occupy but little space in the drying room and be easily shiftedin position therein.

The invention consists in certain novel features, arrangement of partsand details of construction by which the above objects are attained, tobe hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show theinvention as it has been carried out in practice.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a correspondingvertical section partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view andhorizontal section, on a larger scale, ofthe upper spider-frame, withthe arms of which the upper ends of the skeins are engaged. Fig. 4 is acorresponding vertical section. Fig. 5 is a similar section through thelower spider-frame. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the inner end ofone of the radial arms. Fig. 7 is a corresponding plan view. Fig. 8 is avertical transverse section of the same, on the line 88 in Fig. 6. Fig.9 is a vertical section on a reduced scale showing the locking means forholding the spider-frames against revolv ing. Figs. 10 and 11 are viewsshowing the adjacent faces of the flanges composing such locking means.Fig. 12 is a face view of a split-washer employed to receive the weightof the spider-frames.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is a truck, shown as rectangular in plan view, mounted on casters A Aand having Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Serial No. 391,323.

a central boss in which is fixed a vertical bushing B receiving arevoluble sleeve C serving as a socket for a reduced lain cylindricalportion D at the lower en of a vertical screw-shaft D. On the upper endof the bushing B is a flange B having recess 1) in its upper facereceiving corresponding lugs or swells C on the under face of a flange(1 on the socket-sleeve C and serving to lock the latter to the bushing,except when separated therefrom by a vertical movement, as will bedescribed.

On the screw-shaft are two spider-frames one above the other, eachcomprising a hub with horizontally extending radial arms. The lowermosthub is screw-threaded to match to the threads on the screw-shaft and beraised or lowered by rotating the latter, while the upper hub is simplybored to re ceive and be supported laterally by the upper end of thescrew-shaft which extends therethrough. The spider-frames are heldagainst rotation relatively to each other by stiff rods or standards Gfirmly set in the thick portions formed by the lugs O of the flange Oand extending vertically through guideopenings in the lower hub, to theunder face of the upper where they are reduced to form supportingshoulders 0 sustaining the stationary upper frame which is secured bynuts O to the screw-threaded ends of the reduced extensions C thusproduced.

Keyed to the protruding upper end of the screw-shaft D is a worm-wheel Dengaged by a worm E mounted in bearings on the upper hub and revolved bya crank E M0- tion thus communicated to the screw revolves the latter inthe spider-frames and correspondingly moves the lower frame toward orfrom the upper or relatively stationary frame. Skeins of silk, asindicated at M M in Figs. 1 and 2, applied on corresponding arms on theupper and lower frames respectively are thus stretched, and heldstrongly extended during the drying operation.

F is a foot-lever fulcrumed atf to a bracket A on the under face of thetruck A. It has a toe F in contact with a semi-spherical bearing surfaceD joined to the lower end 1) of the screw-shaft D by a neck D andthrough a divided washer D and recessed ring D transmits the liftingforce of the toe F to the screw and to the socket-sleeve C; bydepressing the foot-lever the screw and sleeve with the frames areelevated sulficiently to disengage the lugs C from the recesses in thebushing B. Thus conditioned the frames, screw, and socket-sleeve may berotated as a whole, and the attendant may supply the skeins to the armsas the latter are successively presented in vertical pairs, the removalof the dried and stretched skeins being similarly conducted.

l he weight of the revolving portions of the machine is preferablyreceived on a washer G interposed between the shoulder D on thescrew-shaft and the upper face of the sleeve G to relieve the latterfrom wear; and to permit the washer when worn to be easily removed and anew one substituted, it is made in two semi-annular halves held togetherby screws G The divided washer D above mentioned and performing asimilar function at the lower end of the screw-shaft may be understoodto be similarly constructed.

So far as described the radial arms and hub composing each spider-framemay be portions of a single casting and this construction may beemployed if preferred, but as experiment has demonstrated that fractureof the arms or other parts is likely to occur by reason of the excessivestrains developed by the stretched silk in shrinking during the dryingoperation I prefer to make the hub a built-up structure and mount thearms removably therein so that a broken arm may be easily replaced by anew one. The upper hub comprises a central sleeve I smoothly-bored onthe interior, screw-threaded exteriorly and having a wide horizontalannular flange I on the upper end, and a sleeve 1 screw-threadedinteriorly to match to and inclose the sleeve I, and having on its lowerend an annular flange 1 corresponding in diameter to the The flange l isstrengthened by a flange 1 concentric rib I surrounding the sleeve I andconnected thereto by radial ribs 1 and by curved ribs 1 extending fromthe exterior of the concentric, or annular, rib to the flange, as shown.T he lower hub is essentially a counter-part of the upper but reversedto resist upward strains to which it is subjected by its arms. It has anexterior sleeve J screw-threaded, flanged and braced similarly to thesleeve 1 and an interior sleeve J screwthreaded exteriorly to match tothe sleeve J 2 and carrying an annular flange J but is screw-threadedinteriorly to serve as a traveling nut on the screw D. Both flanges inboth hubs are drilled as at i to receive the struts or standards C theopenings in the upper hub being smaller to receive the screwthreadedextensions C as before described. The arms L are the same for both hubsbut are applied in reverse positions vertically, as shown, with theirinner ends received between the flanges of their respective hubs. Eachcomprises a deep fin having a flanged head L extending longitudinallythereof throughout the main portion of its length and preferablyslightly grooved to receive round bars M of wood on which the skeins Mare placed to prevent damage to the latter through contact with themetal of the arms.

L L are flanges on the inner ends of the arms, presenting their flatfaces to the inner faces of the flanges I I and J J between which theyare received, and tapered on the side edges to match each to itsneighbor, and the inner ends of the fins are rounded to match to theribs 1 J? against which they rest. The arms are held against movement inthe direction of their lengths by bolts N extending through the flangesI I and J J near their peripheries, between each adjacent pair of arms,the flanges L L of which are provided with semi-circular notches Z toreceive and engage them. The bolts N, secured by nuts 1V also serve toresist strains tending to separate the hub-flanges. Thus constructed anyarm may be withdrawn radially by removing the bolts N by which it islocked, and a new one substituted and held.

By mounting the spider-frames on the wheeled truck A the machine may bereadily changed in position as desired to conform to conditions in thedrying room, and the revolubility of the frames permits the machine tobe easily loaded or unloaded, as may be done by an attendant standing ina comparatively cool position at the open door of the room, thusavoiding the necessity of removing the machine therefrom in performingthese operations.

The built-up hubs are strong and if parts thereof fail they may beeasily replaced; and the removability of the arms permits the easysubstitution of a new one in case of fracture.

I claim 1. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider frameseach comprising a hub and radial arms, a support therefor, means on theone frame engaging means on the shaft of the other for moving suchframes toward and from each other, and means for preventing relativerotation of said frames.

2. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider frames eachcomprising a hub and radial arms, a support therefor, means on the oneframe engaging means on the shaft of the other for moving such framestoward and from each other, and means for preventing relative rotationof said frames and for sustainin the upper frame.

3. 1 h a machine of the character set forth, two s ider frames eachcomprising a hub and radial arms, a support therefor, means on the oneframe engaging means on the shaft of the other for moving such framestoward and from each other, means for preventing relative rotation ofsaid frames and for sustaining the upper frame, and means for bodilyraising said frames and their connecting means.

4. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider frames eachcomprising a hub and radial arms, a support therefor, means on the oneframe engaging means on the shaft of the other for moving such framestoward and from each other, means connected with one of the hubs andloosely received through the other and constructed to sustain thelatter, and means for bodily raising the said frames and theirconnecting means.

5. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider frames eachcomprising a hub and radial arms, a support therefor, means on the oneframe engaging means on the shaft of the other for moving such framestoward and from each other, means connected with one of the hubs andloosely received through the other and constructed to sustain thelatter, means for bodily raising the said frames and their connectingmeans, and vertically separable means for permitting said frames andtheir rotating means to rotate as a whole.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames, eachcomprising a hub and radial arms, a screw-shaft extending looselythrough one of said hubs and engaged in screw threads in the other,means for supporting one of said frames and holding both againstrevolving relatively to each other, a bodily movable lower support forsaid shaft and means for turning said screw-shaft.

7. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising ahub and radial arms, a screw-shaftextending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screw threads inthe lower hub, a bodily movable lower support for said shaft means forholding said upper frame stationary relatively to said lower, and meanscarried by said upper hub and engaging said screw-shaft for turning thelatter.

8. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, means forholding said upper frame stationary relatively to the lower, a screwshaft extending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screwthreads in the lower hub, a bodily movable lower support for said shafta worm-wheel on the upper end of said shaft and a worm carried by saidupper hub and engaged with said worm-wheel.

9. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, a screwshaft extending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screwthreads in the lower hub, a bodily movable lower support for said shaftstandards so cured in said up er hub and extending loosely through saidlower hub, and means carried by said upper hub and engaging saidscrew-shaft for turning the latter.

10. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames and meansfor moving them toward and from each other, embodying a screw shaft anda bodily-movable lower support therefor each of said frames comprising ahub having annular flanges thereon, and a series of arms detachablyreceived. between said flanges means for preventing relative rotation ofsaid frames and sustaining the upper frame. I

11. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames and meansfor movforth, two spider-frames and means for moving them toward andfrom each other, each of said frames comprising a hub having annularflanges thereon, a series of radial arms having their ends receivedbetween said flanges, notches on the adjacent faces of each pair of armsand bolts extending through said flanges and notches to hold said armsdetachably engaged with said flanges.

13. In a machine of the character set forth, a spider-frame comprisingan inner sleeve screw-threaded exteriorly and having an annular flange,an outer sleeve screwthreaded interiorly to engage said inner sleeve,and having an annular flange, a series of radial arms received betweensaid flanges and abutted against said outer sleeve, and means extendingthrough said flanges and engaged with said arms to hold the latterdetachably to said flanges.

14. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, a screwshaftextending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screw threads inthe lower, a revoluble socketsleeve receiving the lower end of saidshaft, standards on said socket-sleeve extending loosely through saidlower hub and fastened to said upper hub, and means for engaging saidupper hub with said screw-shaft to revolve therewith, whereby saidscrew-shaft, socket-sleeve and frames rotate together.

15. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, a screwshaft extending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screwthreads in the lower, a socket-sleeve receiving the lower end of saidshaft, a fixed bushing inclosing said socket -sleeve, locking meansbetween said bushing and socketsleeve, standards on the latter extendingloosely through said lower hub and fastened to said upper hub, means forengaging said upper hub with said screw-shaft to revolve therewith, andmeans for unlocking said socket sleeve and bushing, whereby said screw-shaft and socket-sleeve are conditioned for rotation in said bushing.

16. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, a screwshaft extending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screwthreads in the lower, a socket-sleeve receiving the lower end of saidshaft, a fixed bushing inclosing said socket-sleeve, locking-lugs onsaid socket-sleeve engaged with recesses in said bushing, standards onsaid socketsleeve extending loosely through said lower hub and fastenedto said upper hub, means for engaging said upper hub with saidscrewshaft to revolve therewith, and a lever constructed to raise saidscrew-shaft and socketsleeve and free said locking-lugs from saidrecesses, whereby said screw-shaft and sooket-sleeve are conditioned forrotation in said bushing.

17. In a machine of the character set forth, two spider-frames locatedone above the other, each comprising a hub and radial arms, a screwshaft extending loosely through the upper hub and engaged in screwthreads in the lower, a wheeled truck, a boss therein, a bushing fixedin said boss, a socketsleeve inolosed by said bushing and receiving thelower end of said shaft, locking-lugs on said socket-sleeve engaged withrecesses in said bushing, standards on said socket-sleeve extendingloosely through said lower hub and fastened to said upper hub, meansengaging said upper hub with said screw-shaft to revolve therewith, anda lever pivoted on said truck and constructed to raise said screwshaftand socket-sleeve to free said lugs from said recesses, whereby saidscrew-shaft and socket-sleeve are conditioned for rotation in saidbushing.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afiix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

HENRY POELSTRA, CORNELIUS A. KERsHUEK.

